🎹Ritmuller Grand Piano | Ritmüller RS160 Grand Piano Review & Demo🎹

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0:00 - Introduction
0:55 - Opening Playing Demo
1:08 - Video Overview
3:57 - Ritmüller Piano Line Up
4:32 - Ritmüller R.S. Line Upgrades
5:16 - Piano Sound and Tone
8:02 Review Bass Tone Review
11:43 Mid-Range Tone Review
13:39 - Treble/High End Review
16:25 Conclusions on Sound and Tone
16:44 - Piano Action
17:31 - Piano Features
18:09 - Final Conclusions
Welcome to the Merriam Pianos KZfaq channel! We’re back with another piano review as we take a look at the 5’2” Ritmuller RS160.
Ritmuller pianos are an interesting offering in the marketplace that probably consumers with a lower cost, high-value option built to compete with instruments from Indonesia.
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Background
As we covered in our recent video exploring the Chinese piano industry, the demand for pianos in the domestic market has been extremely high for a few years now. This has led to consolidation within the industry, and with that, industry leaders have clearly emerged.
Hailun is a major player pumping out high-quality instruments, and of course, Pearl River is the largest producer of pianos based on units per year in the world.
The Ritmuller line is made by Pearl River and represents a step up from their entry-level Pearl River branded line. There are three quality levels available within the Ritmuller line - Classic, Superior and Premium.
The RS160 is part of the middle Superior lineup, and is a brand new release for 2022, replacing the R9.
Upgrades over the R9
The RS160 improves on several aspects of the R9. For starters, the RS160 now features a tapered soundboard, upgraded hammers, upgraded bridge design, and better strings, and we think the cabinet has been improved as well due to some noticeably improved cabinet resonance.
These are all material improvements, and as long as the execution is good (which it is), we’ve definitely got a superior instrument on our hands than R9.
Piano Sound
Starting in the bass register, the combination of the strings, hammers and voicing is not really producing a brassy tone. In a piano of this size, that can actually be a blessing as there is an absence of any uncontrolled harmonics.
The bass is instead, warm, round and very clear, especially as compared to the R9. We think they’ve improved the quality of the strings, as well as the scale design.
As we move up into the bass register, the range of variation in tone isn’t very wide, but the consistency of tone is a little bit all over the place. The lower octave of the bass is well above average for the price point, whereas is the upper octave of the bass register is simply average.
The midrange is voiced with a very American-esque sound, with a very heavy emphasis on the mids. It’s also a very blended tone.
Moving to the treble, there’s some nice complexity and depth to the tone up here. A lot of this is due to a well-executed duplex scale, as well as some good factory-level execution of the hammer regulation.
The overall tonal palette of this instrument really challenges the notion that a Chinese instrument should automatically cost less than an Indonesian or Japanese instrument.
Piano Action
The return speed of the action feels a lot faster than on the R9. They’re also using genuine ebony tops for the black keys, which is definitely a nice texture for your fingers.
Overall, this action is easier to get around on than the action in the R9, and is in general, simply more enjoyable to play.
Other Details
The RS160 is available in a variety of finishes, and the pedals are on the smaller side in terms of width and depth.
They’ve also incorporated a snowfall fallboard, which is very welcome!
Closing Thoughts
Anyone looking at the Yamaha GB1 or Kawai GL10 price point, do not discount looking at some of the leading Chinese manufacturers, including the Ritmuller and the RS160.
This is a musically mature instrument with a great tonal profile and nice action - something that people wouldn’t have said about a Chinese instrument only a few years ago.
Thanks for watching!
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Пікірлер: 100

@kailangyu 2 жыл бұрын

I have a Yamaha GC2 at home. I went to play this Rittmuler at a local dealer and was impressed. This video is right on. No surprises. Keep up the good job bringing us first hand info through KZfaq. Much appreciated!

@gopherbar 2 жыл бұрын

Love this channel 😊

@christineettrich7247 8 ай бұрын

Love the sound of this piano.❤

@MerriamPianos 8 ай бұрын

The Ritmuller pianos are quite impressive! They present amazing cost-to-value ratio for players looking for high-performing pianos at an attractive price point. :)

@leighgoldstein3119 2 жыл бұрын

Your videos are fantastic. Full of superb content, that always grabs my attention. I was a piano technician in another lifetime, and a former owner of a 7' Yamaha concert grand piano. I do lament the loss of the " real " piano's influence in our modern lives, and how far the instrument has fallen in sales. I am saddened I will probably never own a real piano again in my lifetime. But the amazing technologies of today offer incredible sound quality....but nothing can ever replace the pleasure of playing a real quality grand piano.

@kantib.anondewar8769 2 жыл бұрын

".......I am saddened I will probably never own a real piano again in my lifetime. ......" That makes 2 off us (but, I'm 88, sooooo). Nevertheless I bought a brand new 6 foot Yamaha grand in the mid-late 70's in L.A. from David Abell;----cost $8,000. I haven't checked, but, I can imagine what a 6 foot Yamaha grand would cost today. Then, again, I bought a brand new Ferrari Dino in 1973 for $18,250. Now, Kia, Hyundai, Ford, Chev, Toyota, etc., sell all kind of models that substantially exceed what I paid a for a new Ferrari in 1973. :(

@gustavogo2915 5 ай бұрын

@@kantib.anondewar8769keep dreaming

@1212CRMD 3 ай бұрын

Nice to observe the differences of these pianos! Thank you!

@MerriamPianos 3 ай бұрын

You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed it. :)

@passsacaglia 3 ай бұрын

Love it! I'm a huge fan of Bechstein also have an old Görs Kallman upright piano and this sounds really nice! ps your voice sounds like Andrew Henderson from NomadCapitalist!

@MerriamPianos 3 ай бұрын

Thanks so much! We appreciate it. It is hard not to be a Bechstein fan given the amazing expressivity and musicality they offer. ;) And I'll have to check him out and let Stu know he has a voice doppelgänger!

@mickandrews9458 2 жыл бұрын

Many thanks for your in depth and honest appraisal of pianos such as this Ritmuller. I have not seen others undertaking the same level of analysis. Further, your knowledge of the industry is extremely commendable. I was wondering, have you tried out the Ritmuller RS range of uprights as well? My experience is that they have a lot to offer for the price but the regulation out of the factory leaves a lot to be desired. Thanks again.

@MerriamPianos 2 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to check out the video! We have had the Ritmuller uprights come through our showrooms as well. Overall, the Ritmuller uprights and grands are excellent, cost effective solutions for customers that are looking for a more "European" tonal profile at an Asian factory-produced price point. Some pianos definitely do require some additional regulation and voicing work to truly unlock their full musical potential, but it is certainly a worthwhile as their tonal and dynamic potential is quite impressive. :)

@mickandrews9458 2 жыл бұрын

@@MerriamPianos Many thanks for your reply, comprehensive just like your videos. I look forward to your further reviews.

@EdPin_ 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Stu & Crew. I wonder, would you guys consider visiting Europe for a few days? Let's say that someone from Estonia would finance a journey to Tallinn. To go, to play, capture some content, look around, see some local attractions, and so on...

@kantib.anondewar8769 2 жыл бұрын

I am very anxious to have you review the new Kawai ES120. The 110 has been out for several years. And, not too long ago Kawai seems to have replaced the older ES8 with the Es520 and 920. Hoping to learn whether there are any meaningful differences in the new 120 vs. the older 110 (I have an even earlier ES100).

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

I think there are several meaningful differences and also what I consider desirable features. In the meaningful category, I would place the improvement of the key mechanism and a more sophisticated tone engine. Although a feature in the meaningful category, the improvement in the speaker system seems to have been minor. In the desirable features category, I would place the more modern connectivity capablities and the more stylish layout (rectangular elongated buttons instead of small round ones). There are some other improvements, but they are probably less relevant. They have also updated their CN series, now with the CN201 and CN301 replacing the CN29 and CN39.

@filipjandus4537 Жыл бұрын

Very nice video

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Thank you kindly! Thanks for tuning in! :)

@wailengchong5795 Жыл бұрын

Would love it for you to do a comparison between the Kawai GL series with the Zimmerman S series!

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Hi there! We do our best to tackle as many community submitted review/comparison videos as possible and will certainly add that to the list. Thanks so much for the suggestion! :)

@muhammadnimji4626 Жыл бұрын

Would you say the Yamaha GC1 has a richer tone especially on the lower tones? possible to compare side by side a Yamaha GC1 and a Ritmuller RS160? Thank you

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

Ultimately, the answer to that question comes to the subjectivity of the listener. Everyone's ears are different and, consequently, everyone's perception of what "richer" means will vary as well. With that said, the GC1 and RS160 are both extremely well-built instruments with a great deal of musical potential. :)

@JoeLinux2000 2 жыл бұрын

Merriam needs to sell a stencil line of instruments branded as the "Harrison" line of digitals and acoustics. On another subject related to the sound of the bass strings, maybe you could compare them to oil drums with the bottom cut out and hung from cable, and hit with a rubber faced hammer.

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

Digital pianos or used japanese pianos make beter sence than this IMO🎹🎶

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

I was comparing this sound profile with the upright UP115E from yesterday, using studio headphones tuned flat. For one, the UP115E was out of tune, which became obvious when Stu played chords/arpeggios around 5:3# (again, in yesterday's video). But beyond that, what I also find is again the issue of the mid-bass accumulation and trapped midrange I mentioned yesterday. The UP115E has a muddier sound whereas the RS160 has a very clear sound. In addition to the quality of the piano themselves and their individual differences, you have a simple acoustic issue: grand pianos don't have a case trapping the soundboard, or at least you can open the lid. If you do this to a speaker driver, placing them only in a panel vs a box, you will hear the dramatic difference in sound clarity. Unless you are an audiophile who buys high-end audio or a DIY person involved in speaker building, most people have never heard of Open Baffle speakers, because all regular speakers sold are boxes. Boxed speakers have a coloration in the midrange, and sound... boxy. Turn them around and they sound very muddy... but you can walk behind an open baffle speaker and, if the tweeter is a dipole as well, then you get pretty much the same sound from the back. Upright pianos are intrinsically bad designs, a compromise. Yes, I understand a high quality upright piano can surpass a mediocre baby grand. But an upright piano has a built-in design flaw: the case. There is no way around that (unless you choose to remove the front panels). A grand piano is designed to be "naked", and an upright piano is designed to wear "clothes" that trap the sound. If you pay enough attention to the midrange quality, you can hear the room acoustics: the UP115E sounds more "mono" whereas the RS160 sounds more "stereo" (for lack of better words). It is a bit similar with open baffle speakers: they fill the room with a more "live" sound than a regular speaker.

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@Konstantin Ridaya The issue of the box is reduced in the Feurich Vienna upright, but not eliminated. They have a window on the front panel to address the issue that I refer to in upright pianos, but it is a small opening. Still a far cry from the real deal. There will still be reflections inside that will color the sound. They admit in their own website of the limitations the case imparts to upright pianos, which is why they talk about an upright that can be played with no casing at all.

@The-Organised-Pianist 2 жыл бұрын

@Konstantin Ridaya Yes, some of us just love the sound of an upright piano. In my case, it was my longest musical association with any instrument. Good memories & very beautiful ones. Of course, the sound does vary tremendously between different uprights & some people are interested in a different sort of sound entirely. I see the variety in piano possibilities as being a good thing. If there were only grands & digitals, I'd feel we'd really have lost something. Whilst I accept that uprights have certain limitations, I have never thought of an upright piano as being a lesser thing, simply a different thing.

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@Konstantin Ridaya No doubt upright pianos have their place and their followers. Regarding the statement you made, "It is not necessary a bad thing, that the casing will color the sound though", of course you can find people who will like that type of sound. So, at least for them, it is not a bad thing. Same goes for somebody who prefers to close the lid on a grand piano. If that type of sound signature is what they like, then so be it. However, the accepted standard of piano sound signature is that of a grand piano with the lid open, at least it seems so in piano concerts, recitals, competitions and recordings. I find interesting that the piano you mention, the Feurich Model 123, explicitly talks in their website about the ability to remove the case from the piano, which is "perfect for recordings and concerts" (according to Feurich). They even have introduced an opening panel on the front of the piano, which "results in a fuller sound" (according to Feurich). So, even they think it is best to remove the panels or at least use the small opening to produce a better sound. From a more acoustical perspective, I would say that the idea behind a piano is to allow a soundboard resonate and produce sound after a key has been stricken. Certain elements of the piano will also participate in the final sound presentation, such as the lid in a grand piano. But a lid acts more as a sound wave guide rather than an obstacle to the sound. The case of an upright piano is not there so much to define the actual piano sound, as it is to provide support to the structure, protection, and make the instrument visually more presentable. One benefit of the case is to prevent a very loud sound reaching your ears, since the soundboard is so close to the player. But these benefits are not auditory in principle: in fact, the audience will hear the sound in a more distorted way with the case. I understand you can argue that the case can become part of the sound and the coloration can become a desirable feature in some cases, although the resulting sound does not seem to be the universal accepted standard of the most magnificent piano sound signature that can be produced with the instrument in its several forms.

@jl1848 2 жыл бұрын

This one sounds similarly out of tune to me, too.

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@Konstantin Ridaya You are mixing two different topics in one. You can certainly talk about the way a piano makes sound as one topic, and another topic is the baffle surrounding the soundboard (which is what I was referring to with the case of an upright piano). In a way, you are using here a straw man argument by deviating my original topic (baffle of pianos) and mixing it with another topic related to the production of sound. I just want to make sure we understand the difference between the design of a piano at the sound source level (soundboard, strings, etc) and the baffle that modifies the sound source element. They are related, but different topics. Similar to talking about speaker design: you have the speaker drivers and how they operate, and the baffle design. In that sense, the way baffles are designed in an upright piano compromise the sound. On a separate topic, regarding the bass strings being crossed or running along the piano: the strings are still attached, in both designs, to a bridge that will excite the other strings and create sound "pollution" anyway. But that is not the type of sound pollution I referred to, as that deals more with the way a piano is designed at the sound source level. I referred to the "pollution" (to use your term) created by the baffle itself, which becomes an obstacle to the sound.

@ericastanton2010 Жыл бұрын

the zimmerman z185 has better cost to value ratio ?

@MerriamPianos Жыл бұрын

The answer to that would ultimately come down to subjectivity and preference. The Z185 is of course a substantially larger instrument than the RS160. They are both excellent instruments for their respective price points.

@taurus3973 2 жыл бұрын

What song is he playing from 5:30 onward?

@rickbarnes7745 2 жыл бұрын

Surrey With A Fringe on Top

@The-Organised-Pianist 2 жыл бұрын

@@rickbarnes7745 Ah thanks, it seemed vaguely familiar & was puzzling me - I'm not too good at naming these tunes. I've heard it by the wonderful Ellis Marsalis.

@taurus3973 2 жыл бұрын

@@rickbarnes7745 Ahh, from Oklahoma. Thanks so much!

@stefansipl6736 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I’d be highly interested in you reviewing Pfeiffer, Sauter AND Blüthner uprights :) Maybe it’s possible :)

@timothyj1966 11 ай бұрын

Will stick with my YAMAHA 1980's 6'1" Grand thanks.

@MerriamPianos 11 ай бұрын

80s Yamaha grands are very excellent instruments. Thanks for tuning in and happy playing!

@larghedoggo9607 2 жыл бұрын

Hii can you do some reveal from Flykeys digital piano? Such as P60 FK100 It seems there is very limited of English content

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

If you compare the Pearl River P60 digital piano sound when they play "Chopin's Etude Op 10 No.12", and the same piece played in the Yamaha Avantgrand N1 by Murray McLachlan (both videos available on KZfaq), then you will be able to hear (if you use studio headphones tuned flat) a significant difference. Of course, the Yamaha AvantGrand N1 (now discontinued and replaced by the N1X) is a premium digital piano (hybrid), whereas the P60 from Pearl River is just a portable digital piano. But the comparison should allow you to see how good (or bad in this case) the P60 is. For example, I hear no reverb, no sustain, just a single fortissimo sample being triggered, compressed audio. It is the type of piano sound I expect to hear from a Casio CDP-S100. Pearl River has several series of digital pianos: Concert Series, Musician Series, Intelligent Series, Portable Series, Education Series, and Designer Series. Their V03 (Education Series) sounds much better, clean, not compressed, and with reverb. Their F83 sounds impressive in a KZfaq video I found. The F83 is as tall as the Kawai NV5S and it seems to have a speaker system similar to the Yamaha AvantGrand NU1X. They seem to be imitating older models from Yamaha and Roland. For example, their concert grand GP6100 digital piano looks like the Yamaha CGP-1000, a digital piano that had an actual soundboard in a grand piano shell with transducers --something Kawai hasn't done yet. But Yamaha discontinued that model about 10 years ago or so,and they haven't attempted to make another digital piano with a full soundboard and transducers (of course, you have the TransAcoustic Series, but those are real pianos as well). Their arranger digital pianos look like Roland arrangers you would find in Roland dealers about 10 years ago. It looks like they make good digital pianos, although I would skip their P60.

@larghedoggo9607 2 жыл бұрын

@@Instrumental-Covers Super appreciated for your analyzing! How do you think about FK100 then? it's just like $30 more expensive than the full set of Roland FP30X(although FP30X is a portable and easier to carry) So I am comparing both now. I mostly play classical pieces!

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@@larghedoggo9607 I am glad it was helpful :) I just listened to a few videos of both the FK100 and P60 from Pearl River, and they seem to have a similar sound profile. The piano sample doesn't seem to be very complex. In some videos the FK100 sounded a bit like the Casio PX-S1100 and in other videos it sounded like a brighter Casio sample. My guess is that you can change the touch setting and make the sample sound softer or harsher, but the sound lacks resolution and richness in both cases. I used to have two Roland pianos (the FP50 and the RP401R) and I wasn't a fan of them... the FP30X sounds good from the audience's perspective and OK as a player (to my ears). But I think I would buy the Roland FP30X out of those 3 models (FK100, Pearl River P60, and Roland FP30X). I haven't played Pearl River digital pianos in person, so my comment is more comparing their sound profile on KZfaq with digital pianos I am familiar with, such as Casio.

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

Have you tried the Kawai ES 110 or the Yamaha P 125? Both do well with classical music IMO. The FP 30X? It's ok, however the action is a bit unpredictable IMO when it comes to soft playing🎹🎶

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

Haven't tried an FP 30X yet, however I did try a digital piano with the same action the Roland RP 701🎹🎶

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

I wish digital piano players were as interested in the speaker system used to make sound as electric guitar players are. You can tell the guitar player community is very interested not only in the guitar itself, but in the speaker cabinets, which impact the sound in a very significant way. In fact, it is part of the sound. Try to do a KZfaq search regarding "speakers for digital pianos" and you will find nothing. Or at least nothing useful or well informed. But there are very detailed KZfaq videos of guitar players doing experiments with guitar cabs. There are no dedicated digital piano speakers either (other than that little box Nord monitor for personal use). When I talk to some musicians, they seem to be satisfied with a Roland KC box on the floor... Steinway-Lyngdorf developed the Model D, a 7-foot tall speaker in open baffle configuration that costs around $340,000, the result of the company trying to create a speaker that would be virtually indistinguishable from a Steinway D concert grand... I don't know if they succeeded with that goal. But without going to extremes, why digital piano players have to be happy with the mediocre speaker systems installed in their instruments? I am planning to build a "baby tower" tomorrow at only 4 feet tall, a bit similar to the audiophile speaker "Nola Champ S3" by Accent Speaker Technology. They are $9,500 per pair, but since I build stuff with cheap drivers and hardware store parts, it will probably cost me about $100 (I have the drivers already). The Nola Champ S3 looks like a box speaker, but the midranges are in open air (look at the back of the speaker). That is exactly what I will do: place the midrange drivers in an open baffle, like a soundboard in a grand piano. I have done this stuff before many times, but what is new this time is that I will add "mid-bass" couplers, which is a term that Paul McGowan, the CEO of PS Audio (audiophile company) has used when describing his previous 4-way speakers (their new design does not include mid-bass couplers anymore). The mid-bass coupler addresses very important frequencies that gives the piano its body, while the midranges give its clarity.

@argowibowo7968 2 жыл бұрын

You have a point there. Would love to see the process as well as the result, be it a success or a failure. Who knows it might spark a new trend.

@mfurman 2 жыл бұрын

I personally have just given up on playing with speaker sound and only use high end headphones. If I record and put it on KZfaq, it does not really matter because it will be listened to or reviewed using mostly headphones or cheap speakers anyway. I play for myself and not others. Nevertheless, it is a good point and interesting project. Thank you for sharing

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@@argowibowo7968 Thanks for the support!

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@@mfurman I appreciate the feedback.

@africanhistory 2 жыл бұрын

Do not like the middle. I am no pro but has an upright sound sometimes. I would give this a miss. This is why digital pianos are so appealing. the cheapest way to get a good consistent sonds.

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

Woah what's with the chinese piano videos🎹🎶

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

Merriam Music sells many brands, including the Pearl River and Ritmüller brands from Pearl River Piano. Maybe they have focused mainly on Kawai pianos in the recent past because they follow the Kawai Music School program in their classrooms, but I think it is a good idea Stu is showing all these piano brands. Too bad they don't sell Yamaha pianos, so we can't hear from Yamaha's newest models and updates. By the way, the CFX has been revamped and now, after 12 years from its release, with 30 prototypes and feedback from over 100 pianists, they now have the new CFX Version 2.

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

@@Instrumental-Covers yeah I heard about that newlly upgraded CFX. It's good Yamaha takes customer feedback to improve their pianos. Does Kawai do that also?🎹🎶

@Instrumental-Covers 2 жыл бұрын

@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 They do. They improved the cushioning of the keys in the ES110 in the new ES120. 😃(seriously, they do. They are very customer-oriented in my experience).

@PianoMan-hx3ev 2 жыл бұрын

It’s Japanese pianos for me.

@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 2 жыл бұрын

@@PianoMan-hx3ev yeah me too🎹🎶